Transition Teams – Economics

TPM has the list of transition team members. Below I reproduce those involving in economics.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Name Most Recent Employment Source of Funding
Leandra English, Team Lead State of New York, Department of Financial Services Volunteer
Manny Alvarez California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation Volunteer
Bill Bynum Hope Enterprise Corporation Volunteer
David Mayorga Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia Volunteer
Josh Nassar The United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers Volunteer
Brian Shearer Justice Catalyst Law, Inc. Volunteer
Diane Thompson Self-employed Volunteer
Ashwin Vasan Sophant Consulting Volunteer

Council of Economic Advisers

Name Most Recent Employment Source of Funding
Martha Gimbel, Team Lead Schmidt Futures Volunteer
Damon Jones University of Chicago, Harris School of Public Policy Studies Volunteer
Jay Shambaugh George Washington University Volunteer

Department of Commerce

The Department of Commerce team will also review the Export-Import Bank.

Name Most Recent Employment Source of Funding
Geovette Washington, Team Lead University of Pittsburgh Volunteer
Joshua Berman Clifford Chance US, LLP Volunteer
Colleen Chien Santa Clara University Volunteer
Tene Dolphin Greater Washington Black Chamber of Commerce Volunteer
Michelle DuBois Values Partnerships Volunteer
Anna Gomez Wiley Rein, LLP Volunteer
Ellen Hughes-Cromwick Third Way Volunteer
Karen Hyun National Audubon Society Volunteer
Charmion Kinder CNKinder, Inc. Volunteer
Paul A. Laudicina Global Counsel, LLC Volunteer
Nancy Potok Self-employed Volunteer
Pravina Raghavan Empire State Development Volunteer
Denice Ross National Conference on Citizenship Volunteer
Kris Sarri National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Volunteer
Mary Saunders American National Standards Institute Volunteer
Patrick Schaefer State of New Mexico Volunteer
Kathryn Sullivan National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Retired) Volunteer
Atman Trivedi Hills & Company Volunteer
Todd Tucker The Roosevelt Institute Volunteer
Arun Venkataraman Visa, Inc. Volunteer
Kathryn de Wit The Pew Charitable Trusts Volunteer

Department of Housing and Urban Development

The Department of Housing and Urban Development team will also review the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Name Most Recent Employment Source of Funding
Erika Poethig, Team Lead Urban Institute Volunteer
Alejandro Avilés UnidosUS Volunteer
Peggy Bailey Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Volunteer
Adria Crutchfield Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership Volunteer
Julia Gordon National Community Stabilization Trust Volunteer
Solomon Greene Urban Institute Volunteer
Aras Jizan Community Solutions Volunteer
Monique King-Viehland Urban Institute Volunteer
Becky Koepnick State of New York, Homes and Community Renewal Volunteer
Gail Winifer Laster National Credit Union Administration (Retired) Volunteer
Meaghan McCarthy Housing Partnership Network Volunteer
Gina Metrakas New York University, Furman Center Transition — PT Fund, Inc.
Noel Poyo National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders Volunteer
Antonio Riley Self-employed Volunteer
Margaret Salazar State of Oregon Department of Housing and Community Services Volunteer
Eric Stein Center for Community Self-Help Volunteer
Karen Tamley Access Living Volunteer
Ben J. Winter California Community Foundation Volunteer

Department of Labor

The Department of Labor team will also review the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, the National Mediation Board, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services, the Railroad Retirement Board, and the National Labor Relations Board.

Name Most Recent Employment Source of Funding
Chris Lu, Team Lead FiscalNote Volunteer
Jennifer Abruzzo Communications Workers of America Volunteer
Mary Beech Northeastern University Volunteer
Jessica Chu Amalgamated Transit Union International Volunteer
Michele Evermore National Employment Law Project Volunteer
Jocelyn Frye Center for American Progress Volunteer
Tanya Goldman Center for Law and Social Policy Volunteer
Viv Graubard New America Volunteer
Deborah Greenfield Self-employed Volunteer
Seth Harris Self-employed Volunteer
Micheal Hazard United Association Volunteer
Nadia Marin-Molina National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) Volunteer
Patricia Moscoso State of California Volunteer
Seema Nanda Self-employed Volunteer
Raj Nayak Self-employed Volunteer
Shaun O’Brien American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Volunteer
Josh Orton United States Senate, Office of Senator Bernie Sanders Transition — PT Fund, Inc.
Doug Parker State of California, Department of Industrial Relations Volunteer
Lynn Rhinehart Self-employed Volunteer
Ann Rosenthal Self-employed Volunteer
Robin Runge The Solidarity Center Volunteer
Patricia Smith National Employment Law Project Volunteer
Jenny Yang Urban Institute Volunteer

Department of the Treasury

Name Most Recent Employment Source of Funding
Don Graves, Team Lead KeyBank Transition — PT Fund, Inc.
Mehrsa Baradaran University of California, Irvine School of Law Volunteer
Michael Barr University of Michigan, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy Volunteer
Lily Batchelder New York University, School of Law Volunteer
John Bentivoglio Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Volunteer
Chris Brummer Georgetown University Volunteer
Liyan David Chang Devoted Health Volunteer
Heidi Crebo-Rediker International Capital Strategies, LLC Volunteer
Will Fields Sidewalk Labs Volunteer
Suzanna Fritzberg Birmingham Strong Volunteer
Andy Green Center for American Progress Volunteer
David Hinson Ategra Capital Management Volunteer
Nicole Isaac LinkedIn Corporation Volunteer
Simon Johnson Massachusetts Institute of Technology Volunteer
Helen Kanovsky Mortgage Bankers Association Volunteer
Marisa Lago New York City, Department of City Planning Volunteer
Nancy Lee Center for Global Development Volunteer
Sarah Miller American Economic Liberties Project Volunteer
Sophie Raseman Brightside Benefit, Inc. Volunteer
Rosie Rios Self-employed Volunteer
Buzz Roberts National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders Volunteer
Elizabeth Rosenberg Center for a New American Security Volunteer
Javier Saade Impact Master Holdings Volunteer
Damon Silvers AFL-CIO Volunteer
Betsey Stevenson University of Michigan Volunteer
Jay Williams Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Volunteer
Charles Yi Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP Volunteer

Federal Reserve, Banking and Securities Regulators

The Federal Reserve, Banking and Securities Regulators group includes the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve, the National Credit Union Administration, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Name Most Recent Employment Source of Funding
Gary Gensler, Team Lead Massachusetts Institute of Technology Volunteer
Reena Aggarwal Georgetown University Volunteer
Mehrsa Baradaran University of California, Irvine School of Law Volunteer
Lisa Cook Michigan State University Volunteer
Amanda Fischer Washington Center for Equitable Growth Volunteer
Andy Green Center for American Progress Volunteer
Campbell Haynes Virginia Coordinated Campaign Transition — PT Fund, Inc.
Simon Johnson Massachusetts Institute of Technology Volunteer
Dennis Kelleher Better Markets, Inc. Volunteer
Satyam Khanna New York University, School of Law, Institute for Corporate Governance and Finance Volunteer
Renaye Manley Service Employees International Union Volunteer
Lev Menand Columbia University Volunteer
Damon Silvers AFL-CIO Volunteer
Victoria Suarez-Palomo Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP Volunteer

Federal Trade Commission

Name Most Recent Employment Source of Funding
Heather Hippsley, Team Lead Federal Trade Commission (Retired) Volunteer
Bill Baer Brookings Institution Volunteer
Laura Moy Georgetown University Volunteer

International Development

The International Development group includes the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Peace Corps, the United States Agency for International Development, and the United States International Development Finance Corporation.

Name Most Recent Employment Source of Funding
Linda Etim, Team Lead Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Volunteer
Elizabeth Littlefield, Team Lead Albright Stonebridge Group Volunteer
Cameron Alford U.S. Bank Volunteer
Ashley Allen Oatly Volunteer
Bama Athreya Laudes Foundation Volunteer
Gaby Baca White & Case, LLP Volunteer
Alex Crabtree American Civil Liberties Union Volunteer
Beth Dunford United States Agency for International Development (Retired) Volunteer
Chinesom Ejiasa Sums 15 Holdings, LLC Volunteer
Dina Esposito Mercy Corps Volunteer
Kate Gage The Movement Cooperative Volunteer
Tara Guelig The Lightsmith Group Volunteer
Charles Holmes Georgetown University Volunteer
Cindy Huang Refugees International Volunteer
Brian O’Hanlon Rocky Mountain Institute Volunteer
Michele Sumilas Bread for the World Volunteer

Office of Management and Budget

Name Most Recent Employment Source of Funding
Martha Coven, Team Lead Princeton University Volunteer
Brandon Belford Lyft, Inc. Volunteer
Bridget Dooling George Washington University Volunteer
Cristina Killingsworth WestExec Advisors Volunteer
Divya Kumaraiah Airbnb, Inc. Volunteer
Elisa Montoya Meow Wolf, Inc. Volunteer
Mark Schwartz Amazon Web Services Volunteer
Samantha Silverberg Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Volunteer
Christen Linke Young Brookings Institution Volunteer

Office of the United States Trade Representative

The Office of the United States Trade Representative team will also review the United States International Trade Commission and the US Trade and Development Agency.

Name Most Recent Employment Source of Funding
Jason Miller, Team Lead Self-employed Volunteer
Kathleen Claussen University of Miami Volunteer
Ted Dean Dropbox Volunteer
Celeste Drake Directors Guild of America Volunteer
Michelle DuBois Values Partnerships Volunteer
Julie Greene AFL-CIO Volunteer
Elizabeth Kelley Urban Institute Volunteer
Riley Ohlson Alliance for American Manufacturing Volunteer
Patrick Schaefer State of New Mexico Volunteer
Daniel Sepulveda MediaMath Volunteer
Brad Setser Council on Foreign Relations Volunteer
Todd Tucker The Roosevelt Institute Volunteer
Arun Venkataraman Visa, Inc. Volunteer
Mark Wu Harvard Law School Volunteer
Ryan Zamarripa Center for American Progress Volunteer

Small Business Administration

Name Most Recent Employment Source of Funding
Jonathan Swain, Team Lead Harvard University Volunteer
Xavier Briggs New York University Volunteer
Liyan David Chang Devoted Health Volunteer
Michele Chang Markle Foundation Volunteer
Michael Chodos Medsphere Systems Corporation Volunteer
Isabel Guzman State of California, Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development Volunteer
Bibi Hidalgo Future Partners LLC Volunteer
David Hinson Ategra Capital Management Volunteer
Chris James The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development Volunteer
Clifton Kellogg C-PACE Alliance Volunteer
Ellen Kim Roti Modern Mediterranean Volunteer
Arthur Plews Stripe Volunteer
Michael Roth Next Street Volunteer
Meredith Shaffer Public Private Strategies Volunteer
Jorge Silva-Puras Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan Volunteer

United States Department of Agriculture

The United States Department of Agriculture team will also review the Farm Credit Administration and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation.

Name Most Recent Employment Source of Funding
Robert Bonnie, Team Lead Duke University, Bipartisan Policy Center Volunteer
Nicholas Anthis University of California Volunteer
Sanah Baig The Good Food Institute Volunteer
Brooke Barron Office of the Speaker, Maine State Legislature Volunteer
Kumar Chandran FoodCorps Volunteer
Jonathan Coppess The University of Illinois Volunteer
Andrea Delgado UFW Foundation Volunteer
Debra Eschmeyer Arizona State University Volunteer
Meryl Harrell Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards Volunteer
LaQuita Honeysucker The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Volunteer
John Padalino Bandera Electric Cooperative, Inc. Volunteer
Gregory Parham United States Department of Agriculture (Retired) Volunteer
Lisa Pino State of New York, Department of Health Volunteer
Amy Pitelka Barker Pitelka PLLC Volunteer
Jeffrey Prieto Los Angeles Community College District Volunteer
Audrey Rowe Self-employed Volunteer
Corey Then Moneta Group Volunteer

55 thoughts on “Transition Teams – Economics”

  1. pgl

    I’m sure this is a competent team even if I know only one of the members of this team:

    Office of the United States Trade Representative
    The Office of the United States Trade Representative team will also review the United States International Trade Commission and the US Trade and Development Agency.

    Brad Setser. I had to go to his Follow the Money blog. Its August 26 entry was on the intersection of trade and tax policy with a nice dose of transfer pricing.

  2. Moses Herzog

    Lisa Cook somehow seems to ring a bell, but I can’t say why, maybe just “generic sounding” name. But somehow seems to hit with my memory somehow. Gary Gensler and Simon Johnson I know from the newspapers. Other than that very few ideas or thoughts here.

    I think I might have had 1 or 2 “pet peeves” with some Gary Gensler policy things, but overall I see Gensler’s involvement as a positive thing. And Simon Johnson is near Menzie Chinn level heroic figure to me. Solid guy, again a very positive sign,

    1. Moses Herzog

      Oh yeah, Brad Setser, I gotta skim these things more slowly. I just know from his blog writings obviously. Never remember reading anything he wrote that I disagreed with, so, also seems like a positive omen.

  3. Moses Herzog

    I know this is way off topic. But what better place to wander off topic than political mumbo-jumbo. Has anyone seen Mark Rylance in this film “Waiting for the Barbarians”?? WOW. I mean the movie itself may be only slightly above mediocre, but Rylance’s performance, WOW, just a powerful powerful actor. I think this guy just marched into my TOP 20 list of currently professionally active actors. The guy has this Michael Caine or Philip Seymour Hoffman way about him where just the wave of his arm seems to emit like 5 different emotions.

    1. pgl

      Good grief. I doubt you have a clue who any of the people on these teams even are. But do go ahead and whine about 2016. Like the Federal Reserve is the core of all of our current problems. Snicker.

      1. Moses Herzog

        If they took their regulatory duties towards large banks more serious, yes, we’d be in a better place right now, just from having a better starting point from 2008—among other things.

        Now you can argue Yellen did that on her exit from the Fed: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wells-fargo-shares-tank-after-shock-sanction-by-fed/

        But neither Greenspan nor Bernanke ever took that role seriously, and all of us have suffered for it. I’m not terribly quick to buy conspiracy theories, but one has to wonder why Yellen only just found the balls to take that action when she was hitting the exit door???

        1. not_really

          I look at that comment from Yellen as a little peek behind the curtain. FR banks fought tooth and nail to get some transparency into bank operations and have won.

          It’s been forever since I looked, so question: is Wells Fargo represented at all at the Fed?

          1. Moses Herzog

            I’m not sure how you define or measure “represented”. They probably have the Fed’s ear, as most large banks do

    2. pgl

      “Sanders’ panel of experts includes:

      Joseph Stiglitz, the 2001 winner of the Nobel Prize. The economics professor at Columbia University is a former chief economist for the World Bank.
      Jeffrey Sachs, director of The Earth Institute and an economics professor at Columbia University. He also is special advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
      Robert Reich, Professor of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley. Reich has served in three national administrations, most recently as secretary of labor under President Bill Clinton. He also served on President-Elect Obama’s transition advisory board. In 2008, Time Magazine named him one of the ten most successful cabinet secretaries of the century.
      James K. Galbraith, Lloyd M. Bentsen Jr. Chair in Government/Business Relations and Professor of Government at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin. Galbraith served in several positions on the staff of the U.S. Congress, including Executive Director of the Joint Economic Committee.
      Lawrence Mishel, president of the Economic Policy Institute, the premier research organization focused on U.S. living standards and labor markets.”

      A decent list of economists – NONE of which are advocates of the Gold Standard. But to show you how confused JohnH is – he often claimed the Gold Standard led to economic miracles by keeping inflation low. Yea – he might be happy with Judy Shelton and Stephen Moore on the FED.

      JohnH – the most confused internet troll ever!

      1. JohnH

        Question is, why were prominent economists who worked with Bernie no included…not even one?

        pgl is notorious for supporting all sorts of corporate, center right people who may be decent economists in their charming, neoliberal way. You have to remember that Biden has been best buddies with Mitch, McCain, and even Joe Lieberman. Progressives need not apply.

        Back at Economists View pgl threw a hissy fit every time I quoted Stiglitz lengthy criticisms of the Fed.

          1. JohnH

            Bernstein not on the TPM list… Oversight? Or indicative of Biden shift from political posturing to transition and governing?

            A coincidence that stock market rose dramatically with Biden win?

          2. pgl

            Note how JohnH side steps your question by trying to claim Jared Bernstein will not be part of Team Biden. This is his standard MO which sort of puts him on the same plane with our Usual Suspects. Of course if our new troll did a little research he might see this:

            https://fortune.com/2020/11/07/biden-economic-advisors-recession-unemployment-coronavirus/

            Bernstein served as Biden’s chief economist and economic adviser under the Obama administration, and it’s expected that he’ll take on a similar role now that his former boss has the top job. A progressive and advocate for laborers’ rights, Bernstein is currently serving as a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Bernstein will likely appease the more progressive wing of the Democratic party. “Sometimes people say, Biden’s a moderate,” he told The Atlantic last month. “But I don’t know any moderates who have been that closely linked to the labor movement for their whole political career.” Bernstein’s main job in the transition will be to work to lower unemployment, create relief proposals for those who are unable to find work because of the pandemic, and to represent Biden with labor and union leaders across the country.

            This link also notes the roles of Heather Boushey and Ben Harris – who JohnH will tag as neoliberals too even though they are not.

        2. pgl

          JohnH back to throwing his patented stupid dirt. Get ready for it as he will make you think the Usual Suspects are honest people.

        3. not_really

          Transition team is different than who gets nominated/appointed.

          My wild guess: Biden policy will have an emphasis on ensuring the wealthy stay wealthy with more liberal social and environmental policy. We’ll be lucky if there’s any progress on broader health care access.

          Once again, the swing voter that got Biden into office will be punished. At least Covid19 will be treated more seriously.

          1. pgl

            “Transition team is different than who gets nominated/appointed.”

            The Team Agency Review stuff is low level staff stuff. I doubt Stiglitz or Sachs would want to bother with that. The real story is who gets on the NEC and the CEA. Anybody – even conservative Greg Mankiw – would be better than Kudlow. But I’m hoping for a smart progressive economist and not the village idiots serving Trump.

            Of course even those village idiots know more about economics than the great pretender – JohnH. Ask him again how Cameron’s UK fiscal austerity was good for labor especially since real wage plummented.

          2. Barkley Rosser

            nr,

            Yes, appointees likely not to be people on transition teams, although some of them may show up.

            The reason we may not see a hit on the wealthy is that the GOP may retain control of the Senate, in which no change in the tax code that hurts them will get passed. It is clear Biden would like to pass at least an undoing of the very pro-rich Trump tax law, but that depends on who controls the Senate.

      2. JohnH

        Exactly the kind of resume I would expect Biden to select as a transition team leader for the Fed, SEC, etc. Yet another Goldman Sachs trainee!

        “Gary G. Gensler (born October 18, 1957) is an American public official. He served as the 11th chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under President Barack Obama from May 26, 2009, to January 3, 2014. Gensler was the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance (1999-2001), and the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Markets (1997-1999). Prior to his public service career, Gensler worked at Goldman Sachs,”

        There will be no complaints from the 1%…As Biden told a group of wealthy investors. “Nothing will change.” He got that right!!!

    3. pgl

      JohnH is peddling the false claim that Biden’s agency review teams has excluded any and all progressives. Whenever you see something like this from JohnH – mind you he lies a lot.

      https://nypost.com/2020/11/11/joe-bidens-transition-team-includes-warren-sanders-aides-tech-execs/

      Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s former chief of staff and a senior advisor to socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders are among those who are laying the groundwork for Joe Biden’s new administration. The Biden-Harris campaign announced their “agency review teams” on Tuesday evening which will be responsible for making sure the pair are able to “hit the ground running on Day One” but also reflect the “diversity of perspectives” for addressing the nation’s most urgent challenges. While Biden has insisted that he is the Democratic Party and that the rowdy left flank of progressives have no power over him, included on the list are staff who work for some of Congress’s most reformist lawmakers. As first noted by Fox News, Josh Orton, a senior advisor for Sen. Sanders [I-Vt] has been appointed to review the Department of Labor, while Anne Reid, the former chief of staff to Sen. Warren [D-Mass.] will review the Department of Health and Human Services.

      1. JohnH

        Wow!!! Warren and Sanders each got a single person on the transition team—ONE!!!

        And which agencies did they get chosen for? Labor and HHS.

        Meanwhile a Goldman Sachs guy gets to lead the Fed, SEC, etc. transition.

        Yet pgl, a self-anointed “progressive growth liberal”, thinks that this is wonderful, just as he found nothing to criticize with Obama’s coddling of banisters, torturers, etc.

        Personnel is policy, and the initial snapshot of personnel in a Biden presidency, shows that corporations rule while tge people who got Biden elected in Michigan and Georgia are being stiffed yet again.

        Hopefully, the Bernie wing of the party will actively pressure Biden, not fall asleep as they did under Obama. Bernie’s piece in USA Today is a good start.

        2. pgl

          You led with a lie and you continued with more lies. Lots of progressives including some who are involved in financial regulations. But do continue bloviating with your usual BS. It is all you ever did over at EV and now you have decided to pollute this blog too.

          1. JohnH

            Another fact free allegation from pgl, who claims “lots of progressives” “involved in financial regulations” without naming names.

            What we do know is that anyone associated with Bernie’s audit of the Fed was excluded…which casts doubt on Biden’s willingness to accommodate progressive in regulating Wall Street.

          2. pgl

            “JohnH
            November 12, 2020 at 12:04 pm”

            A message to the loyal readers of this blog. JohnH’s antics over at EconomistView was one reason Mark Thoma quit blogging. JohnH is worse than any of the trolls we have to endure here in terms of basic stupidity, rank dishonesty, and endless rants. But what would one suspect from a pretend progressive who favors both fiscal austerity and a return to the Gold Standard.

            Now if you wish to humor this clown – I have warned you. But for me – time to move on from this total waste of time.

    2. Moses Herzog

      Mostly trying to avoid Stephen Moore, Larry Kudlow, Judy Shelton, “Princeton”Kopits types. I’ve been sleeping a lot better the last week or so. I don’t remember taking melatonin.

      I’m gonna be pretty upset if this chick doesn’t get Secretary of State.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5hoU_Bh3qg
      I know pgl and Dismalist want their maternal grandmothers to be Joint Secretaries of State, but it’s kinda better if you have someone of agile mind. You know, nowadays George Schultz is just good for downing prune juice in the school cafeteria with Barkley Junior so I hope Dismalist and pgl can get over this personal loss.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwrdz1Jjs5A

    3. Barkley Rosser

      Steven,

      They usually recommend actual personnel as well make policy suggestions, but they can do whatever a president-elect wants them to do. Given how conventional and traditional Biden is, they will probably do the standard sort of stuff. They do not make the final decisions.

  8. Moses Herzog

    I suppose to Chinese people this comes across as some kind of crocodile tears when it comes from western people or white people. But honest to God it makes me feel sad for the Chinese people located in Hong Kong. More sad than when I hear Mitch McConnell make excuses for an authoritarian style President—which is to say pretty damned sad:
    https://www.dw.com/en/hong-kong-entire-opposition-quits-legislative-council-after-4-pro-democracy-lawmakers-expelled/a-55559840

    The solidarity is courageous, but I’m again sad to say largely futile. But I admire their inner strength for standing up for their compatriots.

  9. SecondLook

    Leandra English is far more than competent. One of the reasons, besides the obvious ones, that the Trump gang got rid of her at the CFPB.
    Can’t have talented and highly capable people serving as public servants, happily so, can we…

    1. pgl

      If the Free Beacon hates her – she must be smart and progressive:

      https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/leandra-english-who-pretended-to-run-cfpb-leads-biden-cfpb-transition/

      Leandra English, who spent months trying to seize control of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) from President Donald Trump, will lead Joe Biden’s transition team for the agency, the Biden campaign announced Tuesday.
      English will be in charge of a team of seven others, including the legislative director for the United Autoworkers and six alums of the Obama-era CFPB. The group will advise the Biden campaign on taking over the agency when Biden assumes office in January.
      English rose to public attention in 2017, when she claimed the role of acting CFPB director following the departure of Obama-era director Richard Cordray, in direct contention with Trump appointee Mick Mulvaney. In the ensuing months, English lost multiple court battles but continued her claim despite a lack of clarity on what, if anything, she was actually doing day-to-day. This stance made her a hero of the anti-Trump “resistance,” with even Democratic leadership calling her the “rightful acting director.”

      English’s appearance on the CFPB, therefore, is a harsh rebuttal to the Trump administration’s regulatory agenda. Her appearance on the transition team—along with other Obama alums—indicates that a Biden-era CFPB will return to the aggressive regulatory posture adopted during the Obama administration.

    2. pgl

      Her name came up in a Washington Post story on how Biden is building a progressive team that will reign in the unregulated Wall Street robber barrons.

      Of course trolls like JohnH has no clue what is going on. And do not tell him as he goes on and on and on in his usual uninformed anger.

  10. pgl

    Biden needs to have a world class Chief of Staff. Ron Klain seems to be the leading candidate – he certainly would be a great choice. Bottom line – we will need to get a lot of big things done with little delay. Klain speaks truth to power and cuts through the red tape. Unlike that Tea Party Trump sycophant who pretends to be the current Chief of Staff.

    1. Moses Herzog

      He probably wouldn’t take the job now, but if I was BIden I would bring Rahm Emanuel back. But the job is largely a stepping stone type job, so for him it’s largely lost its function. You never know though.

  11. joseph

    Most important is who chairs the OMB. Nothing gets done in the next administration, not on climate, infrastructure, pandemic relief, health care nor education, if there are more feckless Obama austerians in place. OMB can’t be used as a brake on doing great things.

    1. Moses Herzog

      Don’t these guys on the “transition teams” often nominate themselves??? What exactly would Jeffrey Zients want to do other than Head OMB??

      1. Barkley Rosser

        Sometimes. But note that there are many more people on these teams than there are top positions, although there are lower level ones as well. Probably some of these people will get some of them.

        The most notorious self-selection was not on a post-election transition team but when Cheney chaired W. Bush’s search comm for a VP candidate and it ended up recommending him, to a lot of bad outcomes later.

    2. The Rage

      Please, like it matters. Biden will have little difference from Obama outside pecking order of policy which Obama misread badly.

      1. Barkley Rosser

        Rage,

        Doubt it will be the same people, but it is highly likely that on many issues the Biden admin will look a lot like what an Obama third term would have, although, again, much depends on who controls the Senate, still to be determined, not to mention whether or not we can actually get Trump out of the WH.

    3. Moses Herzog

      I’m trying to imagine political advertisements for the Democrats in 2024 where they tell people that under a Democrat administration taxpayer funded USDA social welfare payments to farmers has dropped hundreds of millions of dollars and American farm defaults have gone down. Or will they show Nancy Pelosi smearing premium ice cream on the side of her face?? Which would be more effective to relate to the common man you think?? Joy Lee, can you tell us which of those two television visuals works better “optics wise” because we know you’re a real brainiac on this stuff. Do a survey of twats at Starbucks in the morning, would you??

  12. ltr

    November 11, 2020

    Coronavirus

    US

    Cases   ( 10,708,630)
    Deaths   ( 247,397)

    India

    Cases   ( 8,684,039)
    Deaths   ( 128,165)

    France

    Cases   ( 1,865,538)
    Deaths   ( 42,535)

    UK

    Cases   ( 1,256,725)
    Deaths   ( 50,365)

    Mexico

    Cases   ( 978,531)
    Deaths   ( 95,842)

    Germany

    Cases   ( 726,176)
    Deaths   ( 12,082)

    Canada

    Cases   ( 277,061)
    Deaths   ( 10,685)

    China

    Cases   ( 86,284)
    Deaths   ( 4,634)

  13. ltr

    November 11, 2020

    Coronavirus   (Deaths per million)

    US   ( 746)
    Mexico   ( 741)
    UK   ( 740)
    France   ( 651)

    Canada   ( 282)
    Germany   ( 144)
    India   ( 93)
    China   ( 3)

    Notice the ratios of deaths to coronavirus cases are 9.8%, 4.0% and 2.3% for Mexico, the United Kingdom and France respectively.  These ratios are high, but have been significantly higher, while falling recently as new cases are being rapidly recorded.

  14. ltr

    https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-11-12/Chinese-mainland-reports-15-new-COVID-19-cases-VlJyIhyv8k/index.html

    November 12, 2020

    Chinese mainland reports 15 new COVID-19 cases

    The Chinese mainland registered 15 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, 14 from overseas and 1 locally transmitted, the National Health Commission announced on Thursday.

    The sole local transmission was detected in north China’s Tianjin Municipality, said the commission.

    A total of 6 new asymptomatic COVID-19 cases were recorded, all from overseas, while 728 asymptomatic patients remain under medical observation. No COVID-19-related deaths were reported on Wednesday, and 24 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovering.

    As of Wednesday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 86,299, with 4,634 fatalities.

    [ There has been no coronavirus death on the Chinese mainland since May 17.  Since June began there have been 5 limited community clusters of infections, each of which was contained with mass testing, contact tracing and quarantine, with each outbreak ending in a few weeks.

    Single local infections have recently been recorded in 4 cities, with mass testing, contact tracing and quarantine again being used to identify the origin of as well as to contain and end each possible outbreak.

    Imported coronavirus cases are caught at entry points with required testing and immediate quarantine.  Asymptomatic cases are all quarantined.  The flow of imported cases to China is low, but has been persistent.

    There are now 413 active coronavirus cases in all on the Chinese mainland, 3 of which cases are classed as serious or critical. ]

  15. ltr

    November 11, 2020

    Coronavirus

    US

    Total Cases   ( 10,708,630)
    Total Deaths   ( 247,397)

    New Cases   ( 149,946)
    New Deaths   ( 1,598)

    Current Serious, Critical Cases   ( 19,683)

  17. ltr

    November 11, 2020

    Coronavirus

    Massachusetts

    Cases   ( 177,541)
    Deaths   ( 10,222)

    Deaths per million   ( 1,483)

    ————————————

    November 11, 2020

    Coronavirus

    New York

    Cases   ( 577,857)
    Deaths   ( 33,898)

    Deaths per million   ( 1,743)

    ————————————

  18. Moses Herzog

    Can I send a message to the good people listed up above???

    Susan Rice is the most qualified and capable person for the job of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the only person who should be chosen of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the most qualified and capable person for the job of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the only person who should be chosen of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the most qualified and capable person for the job of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the only person who should be chosen of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the most qualified and capable person for the job of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the only person who should be chosen of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the most qualified and capable person for the job of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the only person who should be chosen of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the most qualified and capable person for the job of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the only person who should be chosen of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the most qualified and capable person for the job of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the only person who should be chosen of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the most qualified and capable person for the job of Secretary of State.
    Susan Rice is the only person who should be chosen of Secretary of State.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/10/susan-rice-how-obama-found-least-bad-syria-policy/599296/

    https://youtu.be/-Lnk8Voq1_o?t=40

    Some people here don’t understand the strong dislike of Hillary Clinton. Of course if a “leader” has someone else, totally unrelated to a leader’s decision making process taking the fall for them (i.e. cleaning up Hillary’s messes, and no one else’s), how do you have ANY respect for Hillary?? Well,pgl (some blog hosts?? I’m asking here) are not thinking for themselves if they simply take the party line handed to them with no critical thinking or individual thinking of their own. And if you think the behavior of Hillary Clinton explained in the below interview is not despicable (which in fact Hillary Clinton has exhibited multipletimes in her life) then you have a different standard for your politicians (Democrat or Republican ) than I do. Normally I hope Menzie just skims these YT vids I put up so as not to waste his personal time~~~I hope Menzie will watch the beginning of this video (from where I start it) thoroughly when Menzie’s time/personal schedule allows him to:
    https://youtu.be/c2nt66pVYKo?t=150

    Why was Susan Rice “fielding” (to use a baseball term) question for Hillary’s Beghazi mess while Hillary was on permanent vacation?? Well, I guess that must the “the deplorables” fault that Hillary couldn’t attend Benghazi press conferences, or maybe it was Hillary’s manufactured “health concern” for that week. Which I’m sure, every night that week, pgl cried himself to sleep about while Hillary was shoving out Rice to field those questions.

    1. Barkley Rosser

      Oh, I probably should not waste time on this, and I have looked at zero of your scads of links you have put up in the last 24 hours, including this one, Moses, so I could be wrong. But I am assuming what you have posted here is the Meet the Press interview the day or so after Benghazi in which Susan Rice got embarrassed because she said things that later were found not to be precisely accurate.

      But blaming Hillary for this is ridiculous. Essentially they were both set up by the CIA, which had this large facility there in Benghazi that was also attacked as well as the non-consulate State Dept facility that Amb. Stevens unfortunately chose to spend the night in. CIA was doing a bunch of its own covering and released misleading information, which both Rice and Clinton repeated, damaging both of their reps before the story got sort of straightened out. Do keep in mind that the 8 House committee investigations into Benghazi, 8 costing millions of dollars, were overwhelmingly focused on Clinton, not Rice. That series of investigations, which Hannity pushed hard nearly every evening for about three years, ended up in that marathon session for 11 hours where Clinton held her own coolly and well, humiliating Gowdy and his committee who fell on their faces once and for all. I remember the last round of questioning of her had to do with why had she not invited Amb. Stevens to dinner at her house. Really. But you think she was the bad person in all this somehow, yet another older woman with power you hare, Moses, for not very good reasons.

      As it was Rice’s candidacy for SecState was sabotaged partly by Dems who found her too abrasive.

      I happen to know Susan Rice personally, and we discussed her qualifications here previously when you were pushing her for VP. I think she is extremely smart, knowledgeable, and capable. But I am also aware that some find her a bit too “direct,” shall we say. I think she would make an excellent SecState, but saying she is the only possible person to be in that position is also way overdoing it. There are others also qualified, but I would be fine with her getting it.

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